Kenzie and Gunner x 3
by YouRang
Summary: What was it like for Kenzie and Gunner during Expendables 3? What happened when Barney broke up the team and Gunner loses one part of his life, but has Kenzie to turn to? Set after "Gunner's Christmas Present' but before "Gunner's Last Christmas". Rated M for all the usual stuff. Please enjoy and review.
1. Chapter 1

On the edge of sleep, Kenzie felt lips touch the nape of her neck. Smiling, she stretched, arching back against the body behind her. Gunner sighed and tightened his arms around her, moulding his body to hers with a possessive growl.

"Morning, baby." He murmured into her throat.

"Mmmm, morning." Kenzie replied languidly.

Gunner's hands began to roam as his lips became more insistent. Warmth spread through Kenzie as his breath feathered over her skin. Rolling onto his back Gunner gripped Kenzie's hips and pulled her to straddle him. She lowered herself down onto his rigid length with a sigh and Gunner gave a guttural groan, his hands tightening on her hips. Kenzie rolled her hips, riding Gunner just like he loved and was rewarded with another deep groan and a breathy 'fuck, babe'.

Opening her eyes, Kenzie watched Gunner lose himself in sensation, eyes rolling half-closed and lips parting on a moan. Kenzie scratched her fingertips lightly across Gunner's chest, increasing the pressure as he groaned in response. Gunner's hands slid to Kenzie's back as he sat up, pulling her towards him until their faces were mere inches apart. With half-lidded eyes dark with desire, Gunner grinned lazily at Kenzie as he pulled her legs around his hips and started to thrust upwards with increasing intensity. Heat began to build in Kenzie's core and she moaned breathily, rolling her head back as the waves of pleasure began. Gunner's lips traced her collarbones and his hands moved up to her breasts, tracing the delicate skin beneath her nipples with calloused fingers. Kenzie's ecstasy peaked and she arched backwards, crying out as she came. Gunner followed, spilling inside her, groaning roughly into the crook of Kenzie's neck as his body shuddered with release. Panting, they collapsed against each other, bodies slick with sweat. After a long moment, Kenzie turned her head and nuzzled Gunner's hair. He rumbled deep in his throat and raised his head to meet her eyes.

"Fuck, babe. I love you." Gunner murmured.

Kenzie slung her left arm around Gunner's neck, and brought her right hand up to gently stroke his face, forehead down to cheek, to his chin and back again. "I love you, too." She whispered. Turning her head, Kenzie focussed on the clock radio on the bedside table. "You have to go soon?"

Gunner glanced back over his shoulder and sighed. "Yeah, I'm late."

"Where this time?"

Studying the clock face Gunner answered. "We're breaking some old team mate of Barney's outta this black ops prison, a guy called 'Dr. Death', then heading into that hellhole Somalia to stop some guy named Minns from selling some fucked-up bombs."

Turning back to Kenzie, he saw her expression had gone dark and serious, and he frowned in question.

Kenzie bit her bottom lip. "You come home safe to me, okay?"

Gunner opened his mouth to answer, but Kenzie added lowly. "Promise me."

Gunner lowered his head. He could deny her nothing, but he couldn't lie to her. They both knew that his survival was anything but guaranteed. The mercenary life was violent and dangerous, all too horrifying brief; and Gunner had already defied the odds, spit in fate's face and laughed at death far longer than he'd ever had any right to. Swallowing hard and raising his head, Gunner said quietly. "I can't promise you that, baby."

Kenzie nodded in resignation, desolation creeping into her eyes; cutting Gunner to the quick. She lowered her gaze and Gunner reached up, gently stroking her cheek. "Look at me." He whispered.

Kenzie met his eyes slowly and Gunner said lowly and earnestly, trying to convey through his eyes and touch what he couldn't find words for. "I will always come back to you, one way or another."

Kenzie nodded, then took a deep breath and rolled off of Gunner, his hands briefly grasping her waist to support her, and sat cross-legged on the mattress beside him. When she looked at him again, the sadness was gone from her eyes, replaced by quiet acceptance, a brave face to lessen his guilt.

"You'd better hurry." She said, her voice gaining strength. She smiled and added, "you know the guys are going to rip your ass for being late."

Gunner nodded and climbed out, hurrying to the bathroom. He emerged a few minutes later, freshly showered and nude, quickly dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. He grabbed the duffel he'd packed the night before and strode back to the bed. Kenzie still sat; her legs folded, the covers pooled around her.

Gunner reached out and stroked her hair. He leaned down and pressed a fevered kiss to her lips, lingering, inhaling her scent, relishing the taste and touch of her mouth against his.

Unwillingly, he straightened and said. "Bye, baby. I'll call you when I can."

"Bye, big man." Kenzie replied and Gunner turned and left before he changed his mind and stayed, climbing back into the bed and losing himself in the body of the woman he loved so fiercely.

Kenzie listened as the door opened and shut, as Gunner's chopper fired up and roared away before breaking down.


	2. Chapter 2

An hour later Kenzie stepped through the door of Tool's Tattoos and smiled as he called out, "Hey, sweet thing!" from the drafting table he was sketching at.

"Hey, Tool." She called back, walking over to him. After Gunner had left, Kenzie had showered and dressed, pulling on the plaid button down shirt he'd been wearing the night before over her black muscle shirt, to keep his scent close to her all day, and left. Her apprenticeship with Tool was almost over and she had a few solo appointments scheduled today.

Tool watched her as she approached, and, when she reached the table, said somberly, "it gets harder every time, doesn't it?"

Kenzie started slightly, remembering that Tool was a hell of a lot smarter and perceptive then he ever let on. In that respect, he was like Gunner; both of them hiding parts of themselves behind false facades and other's uncorrected assumptions, revealing their true selves only to a select few. Barney, in fact, was the only one of the Expendables who really truly knew Tool, despite the years the entire team had been together. Although Gunner and Kenzie had immediately bonded to each other, Kenzie still found herself occasionally unable to reconcile in her mind the man Gunner was with the team; a slightly bumbling, unpredictable and warped fallen genius with a stone cold ability to kill and maim; and the man he was with her, a tender romantic with a talent for cuddling, who would sing old songs to her in goofy, exaggerated voices to make her giggle and never missed a chance to snuggle with her and show her in a thousand little ways how much he loved her. Kenzie was constantly amazed at the absolute trust Gunner showed in her so quickly by revealing this hidden side, a side his own brothers had never seen. The look on the Expendable's faces the first time Gunner had stepped up behind Kenzie at Tool's, wrapped his massive arms around her and nuzzled his face into her neck with a contented purr had been priceless.

"Yeah," Kenzie agreed quietly. Dropping her backpack on a nearby stool, Kenzie took a deep breath and met Tool's gaze with a steadiness that didn't reach her soul. "How have you managed all these years?"

Tool gave a rueful grin and spread his arms, gesturing to all the controlled chaos around him; the tattoo flash scattered on the walls, the women's names on the steps, the array of liquor bottles and the stereo currently set on Rob Zombie, blasting somewhat quietly in the background. "You learn to get by." He said simply. "And a piece of your heart goes with them every time."

Suddenly close to tears, Kenzie hurriedly cleared her throat and looked away.

* * *

Five days later, the call came. Gunner's voice was gruff and to the point. Caesar had been shot and was near death. The mission had been a failure. They were on their way back.

Kenzie dropped the DIY chandelier she'd been working on and gathered her medics bag. She'd been taking courses, to better be able to help when the team returned with injuries and had traded a sleeve tattoo with a med student in exchange for detailed suturing instruction. If needed, Kenzie was a fucking tailor with a suture needle.

Minutes later, she pulled up to the hanger and hurried inside. Tool was already there, lining up medical supplies on a table. Glancing over his shoulder, he gave her a half-smile.

"You heard?"

"Gunner called me."

"Just got the call from Barney myself a few minutes ago, was just about to get ahold of you."

Kenzie strode over to the table and began unpacking her bag.

"When they land Barney, Doc and I are taking Caesar to Paul, can you handle it here by yourself?"

Kenzie nodded, carefully lining up some gauze rolls. "Is it bad?"

"Yeah."

"How far away?"

Tool glanced at his watch. "Another couple of hours."

Kenzie dozed lightly on a couch against the hanger wall, Tool sat nearby, quietly smoking and staring into space. It had been awhile since the Expendables had lost one of their own, and Tool prayed to whatever cared to listen that that streak remained unbroken. He glanced over at Kenzie and gave a faint smile. How and why she'd ever chosen Gunner was a complete mystery to him, but they were fucking amazing together; a surprise that the team would still shake their heads over, a topic still brought up over beer at Tool's after the new couple had retired early with wicked smiles to the team and googly-eyes to each other. Tool sighed and leaned back, not looking forward to the next few hours and days.

* * *

The plane sounded overhead, and Tool leaned over and nudged Kenzie. She sat up quickly, blinking and, catching the drone of the plane as well, scrubbed at her eyes and shook her head to clear it.

The plane landed, rolled to a stop at the hanger. The team appeared, carrying Caesar laid out on a stretcher and Barney, Tool and a man Kenzie realized was 'Dr. Death' hurriedly bundled him into Tool's van, roaring away a moment later. The remaining Expendables watched the van disappear, then turned and slowly shuffled into the hanger.

Kenzie grabbed the nearest man, her brother Lee, and guided him over to the table. She pushed him down onto the stool she'd set up beside it and grabbed some alcohol soaked gauze.

Gunner hung back, letting Lee and then Toll get treated by Kenzie, finally standing and hobbling over after Toll stood with a groan and joined Lee on the couch, leaning back and closing his eyes.

Gunner settled on the stool, met Kenzie's gaze briefly before dropping his eyes again. He looked exhausted, dried blood crusted around his ears. Touching his shoulder gently, Kenzie asked quietly. "Any place hurt more than any other?"

Gunner shook his head and mumbled. "Just cuts and bruises."

Nodding, Kenzie set to work, gently dabbing away at the crusty blood darkening Gunner's skin. He hissed at the sting, but subsided and closed his eyes. After a long moment, his hands came up and softly rested on Kenzie's hips. Slowly, he leaned forward and rested his head against Kenzie's shoulder, sighing almost inaudibly.

Later, Kenzie led Gunner by the hand into her house. They'd unloaded the essentials from the plane and locked up the hanger. After a quick shower the remaining Expendables and Kenzie had gone to the hospital, seen Caesar lying motionless and Barney looking like hell and after awhile, had left.

Kenzie had promised Gunner supper and a massage, as it was past dark now, but as soon as Kenzie shut the door, Gunner took her in his arms and whispered tiredly in her ear, "let's just go to bed, babe, I'm fuckin' whipped."

"Okay, go ahead, I'll lock up." Gunner nodded and turned, climbing the stairs like he'd aged twenty years.

Kenzie followed after circling the house, checking doors and windows and turning off lights. Gunner had managed to remove everything but his jeans, and lay half-asleep on the bed. Kenzie joined him a few minutes later, clad in boxers and a muscle shirt. As soon as she lay down Gunner pulled her towards him, moulding against her with a sigh and almost instantly relaxed into sleep.

* * *

Gunner's ringtone woke them both the next morning. With a groan Gunner reached over before Crazy Frog's "I Like to Move it" could start over, rolling his eyes at Kenzie; she'd been monkeying with his phone before he'd left and Gunner hadn't changed it back yet. Kenzie grinned back and rolled out of bed, wandering into the bathroom. When she emerged, Gunner was standing at the window, looking out. He turned and gave Kenzie a half-smile.

"Gotta go, Barney wants to meet us down at Rusty's right away."

"You want breakfast first?" Kenzie asked, moving to his side and leaning against him. Gunner rested an arm around her shoulders for a moment then moved away. "No thanks, Barney wants us down there right away, it almost lunch time already anyway." He leaned down and gave Kenzie a soft kiss. "I'll see you later."

Gunner came back a few hours later, as Kenzie was working on the chandelier she'd abandoned the day before. Kenzie glanced up at him and did a double take. He looked like he'd been kicked in the gut. Kenzie dropped the chandelier, ignoring the tinkle of broken glass and hurried up to him.

"Gun? What's wrong? Is it Caesar?"

Gunner shook his head numbly, then muttered. "It's Barney, he shut down the team."

"What? He shut down the Expendables?"

"Yeah, told us to get out while we could, that we're done, the past." Gunner looked away.

Kenzie was silent a moment, stunned. "Jesus, baby. I'm sorry...what can I do?"

Gunner sighed a deep breath. "Can we just..." he seemed reluctant, "can we just fuckin' break something? I don't want to think right now."

"Yeah, yeah, babe. Uh, I was waiting until you guys were rested up, but I was thinking of taking out this wall." Still reeling from Gunner's news Kenzie pointed at the nearby wall, it blocked most of the dining room and was in the way of Kenzie's open floor plan. She wasn't really prepared to take it down yet, but Gunner's revelation and following request had jolted her into action.

"Perfect." Gunner mumbled, stalking over to the back bedroom, hijacked at the moment for renovation storage. He emerged seconds later with two pairs of gloves and safety goggles, two sledgehammers on one shoulder. Handing Kenzie some gloves and glasses, he popped the two hammers off his shoulder with a quick movement, catching them deftly before they hit the floor and set the smaller one against Kenzie's leg. Fitting the glasses and gloves on and without another word to Kenzie, Gunner heaved up the larger hammer and turned to the wall.

Kenzie watched silently as Gunner began to demolish the wall. He swung the hammer soundlessly, with awesome power behind each swing. After a minute he stopped and pulled off his shirt, throwing it carelessly away. Kenzie swallowed hard. Fuck but he was beautiful. All hard muscles and velvet skin, glistening with a light sheen of sweat...as he rotated with a swing Kenzie caught sight of that amazing V of abs disappearing into his low slung jeans. Despite herself and despite the situation, Kenzie started to get hot.

Gunner finally seemed to notice that Kenzie had not joined him and turned around with a questioning look. Instantly lust stirred in his eyes as he saw the heated way Kenzie was staring at him. Dropping the hammer and yanking off his gloves and glasses, Gunner tossed them away as he stalked towards Kenzie, a predatory gleam in his ice blue eyes. Grabbing the back of Kenzie's hair, he slanted his lips roughly over hers, backing her up against the kitchen counter. Kenzie responded urgently, curling her fingers into his chest, crazily, inexplicably turned on. Gunner's free hand snaked downwards, pulling at Kenzie's zipper, turning her around. Pushing Kenzie's head down, bending her over the counter, Gunner yanked her jeans down with his free and and fumbled at his jeans.

Kenzie cried out as Gunner, without warning, slammed inside of her, burying himself to the hilt. Pulling almost completely out, Gunner thrust forward again, his fingers digging into the back of Kenzie's head. He started thrusting violently, teeth gritted, trying to lose himself in sensation, desperate to feel something other than misery. Kenzie's hot excitement gave way to pain as Gunner's heavy thrusts slammed the front of her thighs against the countertop edge.

"Ow, Gunner...Gunner, stop." She tried to say, but Gunner, lost now, pressed her face roughly against the counter, his fingers tangled in her hair. With a heavy groan, Gunner slammed against Kenzie once more, emptying himself inside her and collapsing over her with a hot exhalation. Breathing heavily, Gunner stood back up, uncurling his fingers from her hair. Kenzie lay still against the counter, a little too shaky to stand just yet. _What just happened?_ She wondered, slightly dazed.

Gunner stepped back, still panting and Kenzie straightened slowly, resting her hands on the counter.

"Fuck." Gunner growled, but instead of the passion and lust that usually accompanied this word when he was around Kenzie, he sounded angry. Kenzie turned to look at him, caught sight of Gunner's pale, horrified face. Looking shocked, Gunner hurriedly turned away from Kenzie and she heard him mutter 'you fucking monster' under his breath.

"Gunner?" She called after him, but he'd already disappeared out the door, his bike firing up and roaring away.

After a few deep breaths, Kenzie stumbled upstairs to shower. Emerging a long while later, feeling much more collected and relaxed, she examined the red marks on the front of her thighs, where the countertop had hit her. They were tender, but not really sore. She and Gunner sometimes got a little rough in bed, and Kenzie liked it that way, liked it when Gunner's caveman came out to play, but this was the first time she'd felt actual pain. Gunner's reaction once he'd realized what he'd done confirmed what Kenzie already knew, that he hadn't meant to hurt her, had lost himself for just a moment. The look of horror on his face was what Kenzie remembered now, not the hard fingers curled in her hair, the counter pressing against her.

Hurrying back downstairs, Kenzie found her cell. _Gunner? Are you okay? Please come back._ She texted. _I'm fine, I'm not hurt, don't worry._ She set the phone down, but picked it up again after a minute and phoned Gunner instead. It rang a few times and went to voicemail. Kenzie hung up and texted again. _Gunner, don't do anything rash. I'm fine. Please come home._ There was no reply. Kenzie considered jumping in her Land Cruiser and looking for him, but stopped. Sometimes he just needed to be by himself, and Kenzie didn't want to push him right now. Hopefully, he would read her texts and come back soon...

 _Gunner, I'm making supper for us, please come over. Please stay over. If you need to hear this, I forgive you._

Kenzie barbecued steaks and baked potatoes, waiting for Gunner, but he didn't come back for supper. Kenzie sat on the couch, turned on the TV to soothe her nerves, if Gunner didn't answer her within the next hour, she was calling up Lee and going looking for him. Maybe she'd already waited too long. Jittery, she changed the channel and was suddenly baffled by the dizzying cartoons of Pink Floyd's The Wall. Forcing herself to relax, she pulled her drafting board onto her lap and began to sketch tattoo ideas based on the mind trip in front of her. A knock came at the door.

Frowning, Kenzie looked over. _Who's that?_ She wondered. Gunner had a key, and even if he didn't, he knew where the spare was hidden, for that matter, all the Expendables did, and all knew that they didn't need to knock. Setting the board aside, Kenzie moved quietly to the entrance, reached out and turned on the porch light. The light immediately illuminated a giant of a man, slouched forwards, his blond hair hanging over his eyes. Kenzie sighed in relief and hurried to the door.

"Gun! Are you alright?" Kenzie asked breathlessly as she pulled the door open.

"Am I alright?" Gunner echoed disbelievingly. Raising his head, he fixed Kenzie with a haunted gaze. "I'm so sorry, baby...how are you? I didn't mean to hurt you like that. I'm so-"

Kenzie stepped forward, wrapped her arms tightly around Gunner and buried her face in his throat. He smelled sharply of gunpowder and Kenzie realized he'd been at the gun range. Shuddering, she fought not to cry, and realized with a start that Gunner was too. She pulled back, looking up at him and used a gentle hand to brush his tears away.

"I'm fine, you didn't hurt me."

"But-"

"Damn you, Gunner, I said I'm fine." Kenzie grinned to lighten her words and, gently cupping his cheeks, leaned up, pressing her lips to his. Gunner hesitated, then slowly reciprocated, his lips responding, his body relaxing.

Kenzie pulled back and smiled at him. "Come on, it's freezing out here." Taking Gunner's hand she pulled him into the house, into the living room and onto the couch. Grabbing a blanket, she pulled it around his shoulders and straddled his lap, snuggling up against his chest with a happy little huff. After a moment, Gunner relaxed with a sigh and wrapped his arms around Kenzie, resting his head on her shoulder.

"I love you, baby...I'll never hurt you again." He murmured into her hair.

Kenzie snuggled closer. "I love you, too. I know you won't...tomorrow we'll go see Caesar, maybe have the boys over for supper."

Gunner gave a contented little hum in response. "Sounds good, baby."

"We'll get through this." Kenzie whispered.

 **A/N: This chapter may have had a little darker Gunner than you're used to from me...let me know what you thought and stay tuned! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

Later, Gunner glanced down. Kenzie had fallen asleep, snuggled against his chest. Gunner reached up and tenderly brushed a bent finger across her cheekbone, smoothed her hair back from her forehead.

"Fuck, Mackenzie. I don't deserve you. I'm a fuck-up, a loser. And you're so amazing...and today I hurt you in the worst way that a man - " Gunner broke off, looking away and swallowing hard. "I'll never forgive myself. I should stay away from you, but I can't... I can't. I'm too fucking weak. I can't stay away. I love you too much. You're my everything now...I need you." Gunner took a deep, shuddering breath, a full body tremor running through him.

Sensing Gunner's mood, Kenzie frowned in her sleep, forehead creasing and curled her fingers into his shirt, snuggling closer to him. "Gunner..." she sighed.

"I'm here." Gunner whispered, stroking her hair.

Kenzie relaxed again with a sigh, rubbing her cheek against Gunner's shirt with a contented hum. After awhile she yawned, stretched and opened her eyes, grinning sleepily when she saw Gunner gazing down at her.

"Hey big man."

"Hey, baby. Have a good sleep?"

"Be better if we were in bed." Kenzie grinned lazily.

Gunner's grin faltered. It would be a long time before he could fully trust himself with her again.

Kenzie saw his brow darken and she frowned in response. Smoothly she sat up, raising herself to Gunner's eye level and gently grabbed his face in her hands. Gunner tried to look away and, with surprising strength, Kenzie held his head still, waiting until he unwillingly met her gaze again.

"Gunner, I'm fine. You didn't hurt me." Kenzie's voice was low and earnest. Gunner tried to look away again and she held firm, waiting patiently. Reluctantly, Gunner raised his eyes to hers.

"You've been rougher with me on purpose before." Kenzie grinned teasingly, inviting Gunner to smile along with her. "Remember last week?"

Gunner wasn't so ready to let himself off the hook. "Yeah, exactly, on purpose, with you asking for it. Today you weren't asking for it. I lost control and..." He couldn't finish and sighed roughly, reaching up and gently pulling Kenzie's hands away from his face. Carefully he lifted her off his lap and stood up before she could stop him.

"I'm gonna go." Gunner looked towards the door for a moment before turning and looking back at Kenzie. She stood there uncertainly, surprise warring with growing alarm.

"Gunner, you don't have to go. Stay here, with me...please."

Gunner shook his head and cleared his throat. "No, babe. Please don't ask me again."

"Stay...please. Don't leave me alone, not tonight."

Gunner winced and turned away, striding to the door before his determination left him. He didn't deserve to be with Kenzie tonight, his self-imposed punishment would be to stay away, to be alone with his dark, reproachful thoughts. Maybe in the morning he'd be more forgiving towards himself. Without looking at Kenzie again, he left, pulling the door closed behind him. Quickly he walked to his bike, fired it up, pretended not to hear Kenzie yelling his name over the bike's roar, and accelerated away.

* * *

Gunner rolled over with a groan the next morning, sunlight streaming through the windows and stabbing hot needles into his brain. Wincing away, he pulled a pillow over his head and moaned. Fuck his head hurt. After leaving Kenzie last night Gunner had bee-lined to the nearest bar and starting drinking. Stumbling home sometime after four, he'd collapsed on the bed and passed out almost immediately. Dimly he remembered telling someone to go fuck themselves and being too slow to avoid the answering punch, that explained the taste of blood in his mouth. Gradually pain began to register in his right hand and Gunner carefully peeked out from under the pillow, eyes squinted against the light, to see that his knuckles were swollen and bloodied.

"Dammit." Gunner growled, closing his eyes. Before Kenzie, he wouldn't have thought twice about waking up like this, would have simply been mildly curious about what the other guy looked like and whether he'd bled on his jeans or the sheets. Now, he felt distinctly embarrassed, ashamed that he'd fallen right back into old behaviours, turned right back into a reactive, unpredictable man-child, hobbled by flawed coping methods that had never served him well, had done nothing but lose him in a drug-hazed fog for years, a fog that had nearly killed Yang, Barney and himself. Sure, he'd come by this escapist behaviour honestly, hell; his fucked-up childhood warranted it's own chapter in psychiatric textbooks; a study in nature vs nurture; but he never wanted to go back to that, had thought he'd left that part of himself behind when Kenzie had appeared, like a blazing ray of light, at the entrance of his dark cave.

Holding his head Gunner sat up slowly, groaning low under his breath as he found his equilibrium, as his surroundings gradually stopped swirling. He was getting too old for this shit. The younger Gunner had been able to burn the candle at both ends, could party all night, wake up with a hangover and head right to work, but not now, not anymore. His stomach lurched. "You stupid fuck." He growled.

"You're not stupid." A voice answered.

With a muffled roar of surprise Gunner snatched the Bowie off his nightstand, cursing himself for not having a gun nearby, and, landing on his feet, whirled towards the voice, lips pulled back in a snarl. The world tilted dangerously and spots danced before his eyes. He checked himself hard when he saw Kenzie sitting cross-legged in the armchair across from his bed. To her credit, she didn't flinch.

"Fuck Mackenzie, I could have killed you!" Gunner barked, heart racing, bile rising in his throat.

"The hell you could, you're still drunk." Kenzie retorted. Unfolding her legs she stood and walked towards Gunner, stopping a few feet away. Her gaze found his bloodied knuckles and swollen lip and she frowned at him, crossed her arms over her chest.

"You left me last night just to go get fucked up at a bar and fight?"

Gunner sank back down on the bed, too dizzy to stand. Kenzie moved closer, stood in front of him silently, waiting for an answer. After a long moment, Gunner looked up, his hair lank and sweaty, hanging in his eyes.

"Yeah, I did." He muttered.

"Why? You could have stayed with me, we didn't have to do anything." Kenzie's voice was a mix of hurt, anger and confusion.

Gunner had no answer and lowered his head again.

Kenzie sighed in frustration. "Why do you feel this need to punish yourself like this?"

Again, Gunner didn't have an answer. "How long have you been sitting there?"

"Well, after crying my eyes out most of the night, then crying myself to sleep and waking up alone this morning, I decided 'fuck it' and came over about an hour ago. Found you passed out and snoring, face down on the bed."

Gunner stared fixedly at the floor. He deserved Kenzie's anger, wouldn't stop her from hammering him with it.

With a sigh Kenzie sat down beside Gunner on the bed. She clasped her hands together on her knees and stared at them.

"Was it bad then?" She asked quietly.

"What?" Gunner murmured.

"Your past, your childhood, whatever has given you this 'I deserve misery' mindset."

Gunner took a deep breath, let it out slowly, fighting a sudden wave of vertigo. Fuck yeah, you could say that, _it had been bad_. Raised by a miserable drunk who was all too quick to use his fists, or whatever was heavy and handy to get his point across. Constantly reminded that he was worthless, a nothing, a pain in the ass and a lead weight dragging his old man down. His mother, beaten down by similar _pep talks_ watched silently from the sidelines, all too often nursing her own swollen lip or blackened eye. Gunner took the beatings and abuse to save his younger sister from them, and in the end, it hadn't mattered, the old man had decided she needed some _correction_ too. It wasn't until Gunner had his man's growth at 15 and grew taller and bigger did the old man subside, relying on verbal cruelty instead. The day the old bastard fell dead from a heart attack was a banner day in the household, both children truly relaxing for the first time in their lives, their mother blinking in bleary-eyed incomprehension, having long since retired to a more peaceful world in her own head.

Not that much later, on her own deathbed, Gunner's mother dropped the bombshell that blew him away, affected him worse than an entire lifetime of his father's abuse. The man Gunner knew as his father, the worthless piece of shit who had decided to raise his son in a life of utter misery; wasn't truly his father, had married a 'fallen' woman pregnant by another man and never let her forget it. Gunner had sat in stunned silence long after his mother took her last breath. His entire life had been a lie, his entire existence a waste. He'd beaten himself bloody trying to please this man, futilely trying to win approval from a black hole of anger and violence who would _never_ feel anything but rage and disgust for him, and the whole time Gunner was blaming himself for being an inadequate son, for being somehow deficient, he'd been behind the eight ball the entire time, had started out unconquerably overcome by his own genes. For awhile this teenaged Gunner lost himself in the bottle, constantly blackout drunk and an utter prick to be around.

Enlisting in the army and meeting Barney Ross had saved him from an early death, and he'd been able to channel his shit-ton of issues into excelling as a sniper, and eventually he and Barney had become the dark darlings of the black-ops sublevels, used to clean up messes and get rid of 'problems'. Then Stonebanks had come into the picture, hijacking Ross and starting up a crack team of mercenaries cynically called 'The Expendables'. Gunner hadn't gone along with them, he and Stonebanks had been oil and water from the start, utterly incapable of working together. He'd decided to track down the man his insane mother had named as his father, and, upon finding him, suffered yet another catastrophic shift in his world. The man was his twin, tall and blond, and everything Gunner had begged for as a father late at night, his nose bleeding and limbs bruised, praying to an indifferent God under the covers of his bed, the sounds of his mother's newest beating muffled through the door. _What_ , Gunner wondered, _would I have turned out like if that had been my father? Would I have stood a chance for a normal life, or, like the old man always said, was I a fuck up from birth?_ Gunner had observed this man from afar, never approaching and introducing himself, too ashamed of himself and the life he'd had to risk more rejection. The man had died some years later, having never met his twin of a son. That had been the bitterest pill to swallow by far, the regret overwhelming Gunner for a time and sending him right back into a tailspin.

Again, Barney had appeared and dragged Gunner back from the brink, needing a new team after Stonebanks had gone section 8 and wanting his old black-ops buddy back. Gunner had managed to mimic something resembling a life, stumbling now and again, the stumbles becoming outright falls until that nightmare in the warehouse knocked him straight, allowing him to shamble along long enough for the best thing to ever happen to him, Kenzie, to come into his world. He would raze the Earth to keep her, would lie, cheat and steal to spare her hardship, murder and annihilate to keep her safe, and then he'd been the one to hurt her, make her cry out in pain, then cry herself to sleep alone. He hated himself for failing her, for being the reason she now sat beside him, small and uncertain, waiting for him to say something, anything.

Kenzie, made even more anxious by Gunner's long silence, timidly reached over and touched his hand with gentle fingers. He startled out of his thoughts, turning his head to look at Kenzie with faraway eyes. Kenzie read a thousand words in his gaze and her heart broke as she saw what Gunner had lived through, what he fought with everyday.

"Oh...Gun." She murmured, turning and tentatively gathering him into her arms. Breaking out of his spell, Gunner grabbed onto Kenzie like a drowning man, desperate for her touch and no longer caring whether or not he deserved it. He buried his head into her neck, rasping in his throat as he frantically breathed in her scent, feeling his body relax, his muscles unknot, his world settle back into something he actually wanted to live in.

"Kenzie...I -"

"Don't, Gunner. You don't need to apologize for anything." Kenzie murmured, stroking his hair, feeling a vicious urge to dig up the fuck that had done this number on Gunner's very soul and kick his worthless bones.

"I -"

Kenzie pulled away from Gunner, far enough to look him in the eye and whispered. "Stop. Just let it go... You didn't hurt me. I'm fine... you're fine...and together we're fucking amazing." She smiled at him, her eyes soft and warm and finally, Gunner felt himself smiling back.

 **A/N: This chapter sort of got away from me, but Gunner wanted his story told! So I've kind of veered off track from the third movie, but I'm on my way back, stick with me! Thanks everyone for reading and reviewing, send me your ideas for a new story with Gage and 'Mad Max' lol :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: A bit more of Gunner's history, and a bit more smut and fluff before we get back to the movie :)**

Slowly Kenzie swung her leg over and settled gently in Gunner's lap. He tensed and gripped her hips to lift her off, but Kenzie grabbed his hands and held them firmly, staring meaningfully into his eyes.

After a moment, Gunner stopped trying and settled back down. Kenzie brought her hands up to his head and began to gently play with his hair. She ran her hands through it, lightly smoothing it down by his ears. Gunner breathed out a sigh and closed his eyes as Kenzie softly finger-combed his hair, pulling it into different styles, smoothing it back, then to either side, humming softly to herself as she did. Gunner felt himself relaxing under her gentle ministrations, soothed by her quiet, curious touch. Her hands moved down to his, splayed across his palm, measuring hers to his. She ran her fingers gently along the back of his hands, tracing the scars she found there. Her hands moved up his forearms, dragging gently along his raised veins, tracing upwards to his tattooed biceps. She looked closer at the Crow and Skull, outlining the design with an artists appreciation. Gunner opened his eyes and grinned down at her, glancing up at him, Kenzie smiled back. After softly running her fingers across the Sugar Skull, Kenzie brought her hands up to Gunner's face and he closed his eyes again as she gently traced along his forehead, down along the heavy ridge of his brow to his cheekbones. Gunner, relaxing, felt his groin begin to harden beneath her and he grinned sheepishly at her. Kenzie grinned back and continued her gentle exploration, her hands moving along Gunner's jaw line. Gunner's hands returned to her hips and he cautiously gripped them, still unsure of himself and testing his restraint.

Kenzie's hands stilled. "Where did this come from?" She asked gently, tracing the half-circle scar on Gunner's cheek.

Although the scar was arguably Gunner's most distinguishing feature, even over his height and size, Kenzie had never asked him about it before, and Gunner had assumed she'd probably asked Lee or one of the others about it.

"We were, uh...on a job that went south, about seven, eight years ago. We were stuck in this bunker... Lee and Barney out cold on the floor in front of me...Toll, Caesar and Yang were having their own problems, caught in a firefight somewhere else. The guy we're supposed to kill was in the room with me too, he'd been waiting for us and that's when the shit hit the fan. Barney, Lee and I'd managed to get most of his men when they got knocked out and it was just me left. My goddamn gun jammed and I ended up in a knife fight with the prick, his guys circling us like some fucked-up Fight Club. I tripped over your brother and the bastard was on me...had this fucking demented grin on his face as he starts carving into my cheek-"

Kenzie, listening with rapt attention, went pale.

"-well that pissed me off...things kinda went grey for awhile, and when everything came back, the guy's laying dead with his guts dripping off the walls and Yang's yelling my name, and Toll and Caesar are finishing up the last guys and kinda watching me outta the corners of their eyes. 'Damn Gunner' Caesar says to me, 'you didn't need to tear the guy apart.' I noticed my cheek was hot and starting to sting, and my hand came away covered in blood. Had to sit there on the plane with a rag on my face the whole flight until Tool could stitch it back up. And I ended up with this." His hand came up and fingered the scar, tracing it exactly even though he couldn't see it.

"Wow, Gun..."

Gunner sighed. "I shouldn't have told you."

"No, I'm glad you did." Gunner looked away and Kenzie reached up and pulled his face back towards her. "I have no illusions about what it's like out there when you're on a job...you saved your brothers and stopped a psychopath. How you did it doesn't matter to me."

Gunner opened his mouth to protest, _haven't you been listening?_ but Kenzie kept going. "I know you'd never willingly hurt me, even if you don't. You're a better man than you give yourself credit for."

Gunner tried to look away again, reached up to gently grab her wrists, was starting to scoff when Kenzie pulled his face towards her with startling strength and pressed her lips to his. Gunner tensed instantly, tried to pull away, but Kenzie held firm and deliberately rocked her hips against the bulge in his jeans and Gunner forgot all about trying to pull away, gave in with a moan, his hands finding Kenzie's hips and gripping them tightly. Gunner deepened the kiss, their tongues sliding against each other when Kenzie suddenly pulled away.

She touched her lips and held up her fingers. "Blood."

Gunner ran his tongue over the inside of his bottom lip, where the punch he'd not been able to avoid had split it. "Sorry baby. Let me -"

Kenzie leaned forward abruptly and kissed him again. Pulling back slightly she began to nibble down his throat. "It doesn't bother me..." she whispered as her teeth traced the cords of Gunner's throat, sending a shiver down his spine. His cock strained further against his jeans and Gunner rubbed his hands up Kenzie's back, groaning low in his throat. He shouldn't, should pull back now and leave-

"Just relax, baby." Kenzie murmured, her lips now gently tracing the soft skin below his ear, and with a guttural groan, Gunner did; after all, he could deny her nothing.

More forcibly now, Kenzie pushed Gunner down onto the bed, pulling at his shirt as he scooted farther up to rest his head on the pillow. Exposing his chest, Kenzie curled her fingers on his skin, grinding down onto him and earning another low moan.

Kenzie leaned down, her lips brushing his ear. "If you're worried about losing control, then let me take over."

"Yeah, baby." Gunner breathed, willing to do just about anything now to keep feeling this.

Rearing back Kenzie ripped her shirt over her head, her breasts bouncing and reached down for Gunner's hands, pulling them off her hips and planting them on her chest, grinning wickedly down at him.

"Fuck-" Gunner groaned, eyes rolling half-closed. He couldn't fight this, would give anything for it.

Within seconds Kenzie had removed her clothes, now was pulling none too gently at Gunner's jeans, and he lifted his hips slightly to help, finding himself chuckling, his laughter turning sharply into a groan as Kenzie lowered herself down on him, began to move her hips.

Gunner's calloused fingers traced the dragonfly birthmark under her left nipple, his other hand reaching up to cup her cheek, his thumb brushing over Kenzie's full bottom lip. She rolled her head forward, hair falling over her face and Gunner curled his fingers into her mane. Kenzie turned her head and pressed a kiss to his palm, her breathing becoming heavier as she rocked her hips, grinding on his cock. Gunner slid his hand slowly down, trailing over Kenzie's abdomen, down to where their bodies met and became one, his thumb finding her most sensitive place, rubbing in slow circles, his pace increasing as her moans grew in intensity. Kenzie rolled her head back, almost whimpering.

Gunner felt her nearing the edge, beginning to quake around him.

"Fuck yeah, baby. Come for me." Gunner groaned, almost there himself.

"Oh god...GUNNER!" Kenzie cried, arching back.

Groaning heavily, shuddering, Gunner came hard, his hands gripping Kenzie's hips as he spilled his seed deep inside her. Growling low in his throat, Gunner relaxed, spots dancing in front of his eyes.

Kenzie collapsed onto Gunner's chest, breathless. Gunner ran his hands up to her back, hugging her to him and nuzzling into her neck.

"Fuck baby, that was...fuck." Gunner was nearly incoherent, panting, muscles still trembling.

"Mmmm, I should take control more often." Kenzie murmured, her breath warm on Gunner's throat.

"Anytime." Gunner breathed. Rolling to his side, he pulled Kenzie over with him, twining his legs with hers. Facing each other, Gunner took Kenzie's hand and brought it up to his mouth, kissing her fingertips. Curling his hand around hers, he lay them down on the bed between them and exhaled slowly. After a while, he raised his gaze to hers and gave her a half-smile, his expression pensive.

Kenzie raised her free hand up and gently stroked Gunner's cheek. "What are you thinking about?"

Gunner sighed, focussing on their entwined hands, rubbing his thumb in gentle circles over Kenzie's. "Just thinking about the team, how it's over...just like that."

Kenzie hesitated, then said. "You guys were together a long time...it must have been hard for Barney to decide that."

Gunner snorted derisively. "Didn't seem to bother him that much."

Kenzie sighed, tentatively reaching out to caress the soft blond hairs on Gunner's chest, lingering on the scar above his heart. "Barney's pretty private...I think it hurt him a lot more than he let on."

Gunner's expression was dark. He concentrated on tracing his finger along Kenzie's collarbone and along the curve of her throat, trailing his hand down to draw gentle patterns on her chest.

"We can spend more time together now." Kenzie offered.

Gunner dark expression lightened. "That'll be nice."

"Nice?"

"Fuckin' hot, baby." Gunner grinned, pulling Kenzie towards him and biting playfully at her throat, making her shriek his name and struggle in his arms, laughing.

Gunner rolled again, pulling Kenzie beneath him and bracing himself up on his forearms on either side of her head. He lowered his head, nudged her nose with his to make her raise her chin slightly and pressed a kiss to her lips, deepening it with a feral growl when Kenzie responded, opening her mouth to accept his tongue. Nudging her legs apart with his knees, Gunner rocked his hips, grinding against her.

"I think you found a cure for my hangover." Gunner murmured.

Suddenly, the William Tell Overture started blaring.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" Gunner roared, rolling off Kenzie and sitting up, eyes wild.

Kenzie started laughing, scrambling off the bed and reaching for her phone on the arm of the chair she'd been sitting in.

"Shit! I forgot! I set my alarm!"

"What the Christ for?" Gunner grumbled, heart racing, reaching irritably for his jeans.

"Gotta go to the shop, have some appointments today." Kenzie threw over her shoulder as she disappeared into the bathroom.

Giving up on his jeans, Gunner flopped back on the bed and flung an arm behind his head. He was just relaxing back into sleep when Kenzie came back out and hurriedly dressed. Leaning over Gunner she pressed a quick kiss to his lips and said. "Come by the shop later, I should be done around 4."

"Mmmm." Gunner murmured, rolling onto his side and falling completely asleep as the front door slammed and Kenzie left.

* * *

Later, after taking a long bike ride to clear his head, Gunner did stop by the shop. It was empty except for Tool and Kenzie, Tool sitting on the blue chopper; Kenzie sprawled on the archaic, Steampunk chic dentist's chair she'd bought to use as her tattooing/piercing chair and had wheeled out of her room to sit near Tool.

"Hey Gun." She called out, kicking her feet.

"Nobody around?"

"Nah, I had the afternoon free and Kenz's last appointment rescheduled. We've just been shootin' the shit." Tool answered. He held up his beer. "You want one? You know where they're at."

Grabbing one for himself and another for Tool, Gunner wandered over and as he handed the bottle to Tool and turned back to Kenzie, he noticed a glint by her nose. Stepping over, Gunner reached down and gently gripped her chin with his thumb and forefinger, tilted Kenzie's face to see better.

"You got your nose pierced, baby." Gunner said, "Looks good."

"You like it?"

"Yeah." He grinned down at her.

"Think it's safe, sweet thing. You better show him." Tool said, a smile in his voice.

Glancing at Tool, Gunner turned back to Kenzie with a raised eyebrow.

With a somewhat sheepish grin, Kenzie opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue.

"Your tongue too?"

Kenzie giggled and nodded, glancing over at Tool, who had started chuckling himself.

Gunner leaned down and murmured into her ear. "They're supposed to make blowjobs even better."

"I know." Kenzie turned her head towards him and murmured. "Why do you think I did it?"

Gunner chuckled. "Let me know when it's healed, and we'll test that theory."

"Of course, big man." Kenzie replied, eyeing Gunner's crotch suggestively.

"Alright, break it up ya fuckin' horny teenagers." Tool teased.

Kenzie leapt up out of the chair and grabbed her backpack. "We're heading out Tool, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Bright and early baby doll, I see you've got a 9 am booked."

"Yeah, that reschedule from today. I'll bring coffee for you."

"Coffee, hell, bring me some hair of the dog there, honey."

"Yeah, yeah." Kenzie laughed, waving as she pulled Gunner out the door.

* * *

Two days later, Gunner was again at the shop waiting to pick up Kenzie. They hadn't been together the night before, Kenzie had been out with some girlfriends, and Gunner had missed her more than he'd expected to. He looked forward to taking her home, making her dinner then making love slowly to her in the swaying hammock on his deck.

As he walked into the shop, however, Tool looked up and said, with a serious expression. "Found out where Barney went."

"Didn't know he'd gone anywhere." Gunner replied darkly, the air around him noticeably cooling.

Kenzie stepped out of the back, began to smile when she saw Gunner, than stopped and looked between the two men as she picked up on the atmosphere.

Gunner glanced at Kenzie then turned back to Tool. "So where'd he go?"

"Apparently right after he left you guys at the bar, he called up Bonaparte and went to the airport."

"Bonaparte." Gunner echoed, his tone menacing.

"Yeah, and now he's back. He's out at the hanger."

Gunner's shoulders noticeably tightened. "You tell the others?"

"Yeah, they're on their way over, but I knew you'd be here for Kenzie."

Gunner nodded and turned to Kenzie with effort. "Hey baby."

"Who's Bonaparte?" Kenzie asked, moving into Gunner's arms.

"The guy you call when you're looking to set up a new team." Gunner replied, an edge in his voice.

The door banged open then and Toll, Lee and Doc, who seemed in competition with each other as to who could be the loudest, streamed in.

"You hear?" Lee barked at Gunner, who nodded in return.

"Well let's go then!" Lee snarled. As he turned he threw over his shoulder. "Hey squeak."

Gunner pressed a quick kiss to Kenzie's forehead. "Sorry, babe. I gotta go."

"Will you be home later?"

Gunner glanced over at Lee, who shrugged. "I don't know yet."

Pressing another quick kiss to the top of Kenzie's head, Gunner followed the rest of the team out, shutting the door behind them.

Kenzie turned back to Tool, who just sighed and shook his head.


	5. Chapter 5

Gunner came over to Kenzie's later, shutting the door behind him and leaning dejectedly against the wall. Kenzie came over warily and stood in front of him. There was the faint smell of liquor on his breath. Looking down at Kenzie, his hair hanging over his eyes, Gunner lifted his arms up and rested his hands against the door frame on one side of him and on a free-floating shelf on the other. Kenzie stepped forward and gently gripped the bottom of his denim vest.

"How'd it go?" She asked tentatively.

"God damn kids! My vest is older...The one's dicking around with a damn computer, goes on his wrist or some shit. Stonebanks is going to eat them alive."

It wasn't hard to read between the lines. Without proper backup, Barney was the one who was going to eaten alive. Kenzie stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Gunner's waist, sliding her hands up his back and snuggling close. With a sigh, Gunner dropped his hands and rested his forearms around Kenzie's hips, lowered his head to burrow into her hair, down to her throat. He drew a deep breath and exhaled slowly, his body slowly relaxing.

"He's going to die out there." Gunner murmured, the barest hint of a tremble in his voice.

"You did all you could." Kenzie murmured back, turning her head into his throat and gently pressing her lips to the tender skin. A shiver went through Gunner and his arms tightened.

"Let's go away for awhile." Gunner whispered, his lips brushing Kenzie's collarbone.

Kenzie made a face, pulled away. "Sorry Gun, I can't. I've got a big appointment tomorrow. The poor girl's already had to reschedule twice. I'm tattooing her mastectomy scar, I cleared my whole day for her."

Gunner nodded, his gaze lowered; after a moment he raised his eyes to meet Kenzie's and gave her a lazy grin. Fuck, Kenzie loved that grin. "Guess I'll just have to fuck you senseless tonight then."

Kenzie rolled her eyes with a laugh. "You're such a romantic, Jensen."

* * *

Three days later, Kenzie was just wandering downstairs out of the bedroom, loose-limbed and relaxed; freshly showered and hungry, ready to make something for her and Gunner to eat. Her tongue piercing was healing well, with minimal swelling, but today was the first day she'd be able to eat real food. They'd just made love, Kenzie pressed against the bedroom wall, her hands splayed above her head; with Gunner behind, one hand covering hers, the other between her legs, pulling her back against him with each thrust, his head in the crook of her neck and growling deep in his throat as he came.

As Kenzie grabbed bacon and fresh eggs out of the fridge, a loud knock sounded at the door. Frowning, she walked over and opened it to find Lee, Toll and Doc outside, collectively looking like they'd just got the trots and couldn't find a toilet.

"Hey guys, come in." Kenzie stood aside.

Stepping inside, Lee turned back to Kenzie and asked. "Gunna' around?"

"Yeah, he's in the shower, I'll go get him. I was just making breakfast, you guys want some?"

"No time Squeak, gotta see the Viking."

"Alright." Mildly concerned now, Kenzie hurried upstairs and into the master bedroom. Gunner was just emerging from the ensuite and, seeing her, grinned and spread his arms and legs in a naked

'ta-da'.

"Lee and the guys are downstairs and want to see you, they look nervous." Kenzie said. "And put some clothes on, you big goof."

Instantly Gunner went serious, grabbing some jeans. "What'd they say?"

"Just 'gotta see the Viking'."

Gunner nodded and left the room, grabbing a t-shirt on his way by. He thumped down the stairs, pulling his shirt on as he went. Kenzie followed behind, stopped at the bottom of the stairs and rested her hand on the banister.

"What's going on?" Gunner asked, pulling his shirt down as he moved towards the men.

Toll and Doc had sat down on the couch, but Lee remained standing, pacing back and forth.

"The job went balls-up. Stonebanks has the kids, Barney just made it out. He's back to reload and grab some extra weapons then he's heading back, alone. Trench called me, Barney won't even let him go."

Gunner had begun shaking his head as Lee spoke. "It's a trap, Stonebanks will be ready and waiting this time." He said as Lee finished.

"Yeah, we gotta go save his ass." Lee replied.

"Well let's go. I've got a stash at my place, we gotta swing by there." Gunner answered.

Doc, with a nod to Kenzie, left first. Toll gave Kenzie a hug then followed him. Lee lingered longer, whispering in Kenzie's ear as he embraced his baby sister then turned away. Gunner waited until they'd left, then turned back to her. His eyes were cautious and concerned. He moved to stand in front of her and rested his hands on Kenzie's shoulders.

"Do you want me to stay?" Gunner asked lowly, holding Kenzie's gaze.

Kenzie wanted nothing more than Gunner safe at her side. She'd heard about Stonebanks from Tool and Gunner, enough to know that this mission was far and away the most dangerous the Expendables had ever attempted. It bordered on suicidal. Barney, blinded by betrayal, hatred and guilt, had walked himself and now his team into the most treacherous territory; they were following a wounded, crazed grizzly into the bush, and would have to be hyper-vigilant, not to mention fucking lucky, to make it out alive. But Kenzie knew she couldn't ask that of the big Swede. The team was as much his family as Kenzie was. He would stay if she asked him to, and hate himself for it. Barney had pulled him back from the cliff's edge many times, and probably Gunner owed his life to him; he had to go, even if he truly didn't want to. But he did want to, Kenzie could see it in his eyes. Gunner was a lot of things, but he wasn't a coward, hiding and letting his brothers take all the risk wasn't an option for him.

Kenzie reached up and gently cupped Gunner's face. He closed his eyes briefly at the contact, opened them again as she began to speak lowly and earnestly.

"Go, help your brothers and rescue those kids. But you come back to me, goddammit."

Gunner nodded, raising his hands to cover Kenzie's and pulling them down off his face, kissing the fingertips before leaning down and pressing a fevered kiss to her lips. He pulled back just far enough to whisper fiercely, "I love you baby," then turned without another word and left the house, the door banging shut behind him.

Kenzie walked to the door, watched as Gunner climbed into the passenger seat of Toll's van. Seeing her, he raised his hand as Toll started to reverse out of the driveway. Eyes shining with tears that threatened to spill over at any moment, Kenzie raised her hand back, waited until the van drove out of sight before sliding down to the floor and starting to cry.

Needing to be around someone who understood, Kenzie, bypassing breakfast, dressed and left the house. She pulled up in front of the shop just as the last of her tears stopped and walked inside. Tool looked up from the bottle he was morosely nursing.

"Tool! It's not even lunchtime!"

"Oh...piss, baby doll. It's five o'clock somewhere." Tool mumbled, putting up a token fight when she snatched the bottle from him. Kenzie set the bottle out of Tool's reach and folded her arms on the table in front of him, leaning down to look him in the eye. She studied Tool carefully for a moment, saw he wasn't as drunk as he wanted to be, and came to a decision.

"Remember that design I mentioned last week? The one I've been thinking about for awhile?"

Tool frowned. "The back piece?"

"Let's do it. You free for the day?"

"I'm free. You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Alright sweetheart, get up there." Tool smiled widely, eager for a task other than draining Jackie D from Tennessee dry.

Peeling off her shirt, Kenzie straddled the bike, resting her forearms across the handlebars.

Six hours and three breaks later, it was done.

* * *

It was late the next day when Gunner called. Nearly crying with relief, Kenzie listened as Gunner spoke, outlining what had happened and who was hurt where. Stonebanks was dead, everyone else was alive, even Yang had made an appearance. Kenzie could hear the smile in Gunner's voice as he talked, smiled widely at Tool who was straining to listen. Blushing darkly, Kenzie scrambled out of Tool's hearing range as Gunner started describing just what he was planning to do to Kenzie when he got back, flapping her hand at Tool as he roared with laughter.

Hours later, the team landed at the hanger, and for awhile, Kenzie and Tool were busy cleaning wounds, setting the occasional broken finger and stitching cuts. Everyone was in high spirits, relieved to have gotten out of that shit situation in one piece, and with new respect for each other as team-mates. Someone produced alcohol and the party started. Once Kenzie was done playing medic, Gunner wrapped his massive arms around her and pulled her down into his lap, refusing to let her go and snuggling close.

"Careful, baby." Kenzie whispered, adjusting her position.

"What's wrong?" Gunner asked, confused.

Kenzie grinned, catching Tool's eye. He grinned back and returned to slamming shots with Lee, Barney and the new kids, Smilee and Thorn.

Gently wriggling free of Gunner's arms and standing up, Kenzie turned to fix him with a mischievous grin.

"What did you do?" Gunner asked, half-suspicious and half-intrigued, glancing back and forth between the two tattooists.

Kenzie unbuttoned her shirt and, with a careful flourish, pulled it off her shoulders. She turned her back to Gunner and waited, her head turned to the side to see him out of the corner of her eye.

"Holy shit, baby!" Gunner leapt to his feet and the party faltered, everyone stopping to look.

Gunner stepped forward, reaching out wonderingly to Kenzie's back, stopping before he actually touched her skin.

Curious now, the others started calling out and moving closer.

"What is it?"

"What'd you do, squeak?"

"Fuck, baby. This is amazing." Gunner breathed, his eyes locked on Kenzie's. She turned to face him, her back still hidden from the others.

She smiled. "I love you big man."

"Fuck baby, I love you too." Gunner leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips, their kiss deepening rapidly until the yelling of the others made them come up for air.

"Should I show them?" Kenzie grinned.

Gunner grinned and nodded, stepping back a pace.

Pausing dramatically for a moment, Kenzie smiled at the team and turned. The team exploded.

Tattooed across Kenzie's upper back, in the same place as Barney's, was a new twist on the Expendables Crow and Skull. Tool had drawn the crow more feminine and the skull slightly more delicate to fit Kenzie's back, but the biggest difference was the banner. Proudly tattooed under the skull, instead of EXPENDABLE, was GUNNER'S GIRL.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Sorry this last chapter took me so long! I hope you like it and thanks for sticking with me. I'm working on a new story now with Gage and 'Mad' Max, so if you have any ideas for me that you'd like to see, let me know. Happy reading and Happy Holidays!**

Two weeks later found the team at Rusty's. Caesar had just been released from the hospital and although he was stumping around on crutches, was eager to celebrate his new freedom. The entire group sat along the bar cheering and toasting to Caesar's continued good health with shots, slamming the glasses on the bar top with gusto.

Sufficiently lubricated, they drifted apart and into smaller groups, laughing and talking.

Her feet getting sore from the ski-high black stilettos she was wearing, Kenzie found a set a stools out of the way and claimed them both; more than a hint of steel in her chocolate eyes, her lips curled in a wolf smile, at a leering man who tried to take the seat beside her. He took the hint and left.

Kenzie gazed out over the bar, pleasantly buzzed. Her gaze focussed on the rookies, standing around a table and comparing their new tattoos. She and Tool had been busy, inking the Expendable's Crow and Skull on the newbie's, and Kenzie was particularly pleased with how the two she'd done, Smilee's and Luna's, had turned out. Toll stopped by and said something that made them all laugh.

Kenzie's gaze travelled next to Barney and Galgo. Galgo was speaking earnestly to the solemn team leader and Kenzie giggled as Barney appeared to be seriously considering something before answering him and looking rather uncomfortable at Galgo's exuberant hug.

"Hey Yang! Looks like you had a growth spurt!" Gunner yelled good-naturedly, holding up his hand with his fingers an inch apart for demonstration; to his pint-sized team-mate, who'd most recently been employed by Trench and seemed to be enjoying his new boss.

"Tall people don't live long!" Yang threw back with a grin.

After downing a few more shots with the old guard, Gunner looked around for Kenzie. He finally spotted her, watching the others with a small smile on her face, leaning against the wall. Gunner zigzagged his way over to Kenzie and collapsed beside her on the stool she'd saved. Kenzie leaned forward so he could drop his arm across her shoulders and then leaned back against his bicep with a sigh.

"Hey baby." Gunner grinned.

Kenzie gurgled laughter. "Hey you."

Using his free hand, Gunner gently bumped Kenzie's chin with a bent finger. "Are you drunk?" He asked incredulously.

"Lil' bit. You might get lucky tonight, big man."

Gunner snorted laughter, teeth showing white against his Nordic tan. He'd 'gotten lucky' twice so far today; liquor definitely wasn't needed to fuel his and Kenzie's attraction. Grinning, he turned back towards the crowd, shaking his head.

Kenzie watched Smilee and Barney speak for a minute before the younger man was called up onto the karaoke stage by Luna to join the rookies singing, none too well, Neil Young's 'Old Man'.

Kenzie giggled at their song choice and looked over again at Barney. Lee had joined him and Barney was watching the kids butcher the classic with what could only be described as a proud, demented smile on his face. Lee leaned over and said something that made Barney laugh and bump forearms with him.

Gunner leaned his head over to rest against Kenzie's. "I just realized I've never taken you out dancing." He murmured, his breath warming her hair.

"You'd better get on that." Kenzie replied, grinning. She reached over and rested her hand on Gunner's hard thigh, he laid his much larger hand over top.

'Old Man' came to an end and the boys moved away from the mike; Luna stayed and, with a grin, nodded at Kenzie.

Kenzie hopped down off the stool and turned back to Gunner. She peeled off the cropped leather biker jacket she'd been wearing and handed it to him.

"Hold this for me?"

"Where you going?" Gunner asked, intrigued.

"Be right back." Kenzie grinned and turned away. She was wearing a backless halter dress, made of a slinky metallic fabric that reminded Gunner of mercury, and displayed every inch of her 'Gunner's Girl' tattoo. The dress clung to every curve; hugged her shapely ass and rode high on her thighs, drawing the eye of every guy and more than a few girls as she wove her way to the stage. She ignored them all and Gunner felt both smug and fiercely possessive, for all the same reasons.

Joining Luna on the stage, they giggled at each other and slung an arm around each other's waists.

Barney caught Gunner's eye with a 'what the fuck?' expression and Gunner just shrugged back.

Suddenly, the distinctive guitar started and Gunner laughed, leaning back against the wall as the girls started to sing.

"Can't stay at home, can't stay at school.

Old folks say 'You poor little fool.'

Down the streets I'm the girl next door.

I'm the fox you've been waiting for!"

Laughing and cheering, the team joined in from the crowd, roaring along with the girls, who laughed as they sang and pointed at the boys.

"Hello, daddy. Hello, mom.

I'm your ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb!

Hello world! I'm your wild girl.

I'm your ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb!"

As the song ended and as the girls hugged each other again, laughing, the host stepped up to them and took the mike from Luna.

"Alright! Thank you ladies! We're taking a break from the karaoke, but we'll be back!"

Kenzie wound her way back to Gunner, her cheeks flushed and eyes sparkling. Giggling, she stepped between Gunner's legs and threw her arms around his neck. Gunner saw more than a few men shoot him looks of raw envy and jealousy and he grinned into Kenzie's throat, nipping gently to make her laugh.

* * *

The jukebox started playing some new age country song that to Gunner sounded a little like rock and a lot like shit and he reached for his beer as Kenzie sat back down beside him, still laughing to herself and humming 'ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb!' under her breath. She scratched distractedly at her right forearm before remembering and pulling her hand away. Just a few days ago, Tool had tattooed her again, a pair of voodoo-style rag dolls on her inner right arm, up near the crook of her elbow. They were simultaneously creepy and cool, meant to represent both her zodiac sign, Gemini; the twins, and New Orleans, her new home city.

Mercifully, the country song was short, and Gunner's ears perked up as the second song began and he recognized a lone cymbal.

"Oh, perfect...c'mon baby." Standing, he grabbed Kenzie's hand and pulled her along with him as he hurried to the small dance floor just past the karaoke stage. Reaching the stage, he turned Kenzie gently in his arms and grinned down at her.

Kenzie, surprised at Gunner's sudden move, tilted her head to the side, listening to the distinctive guitar riff that had joined the cymbal. She grinned widely as she recognized the swampy sound and wrapped her arms around Gunner, resting her head on his chest as "I Need You" by Lynyrd Skynyrd filled the bar.

"Ain't no need to worry.

There ain't no use to cry.

'Cause I'll be coming home soon.

To keep you satisfied."

Gunner sang softly along with the juke, his arms tight around Kenzie, his lips right by her ear.

"I love this song." Kenzie murmured, her lips brushing his throat, sending a shiver coursing through him.

Intoxicated by Gunner's scent and strength, by his lips touching her ear and his deep voice crooning to her, Kenzie sighed against him, swaying gently to the music. _When I marry this man, this is our wedding song,_ she thought.

Too soon, the song ended and reluctantly Kenzie raised her head. Gunner moved to leave the dance floor and, as the next song began and Kenzie realized what it was, she stopped him with a wicked grin. Catching the tune himself, Gunner laughed and wrapped his arms around Kenzie again, pulling her around the dance floor as Bad Company's "Feel Like Makin' Love' blared.

Kenzie ground her hips against him and Gunner's eyes darkened with lust, his arms tightening around her; he ground his hips back and Kenzie's pulse skittered in response.

Heart hammering, pulse racing and more than a little hot and bothered, Kenzie pushed against Gunner's chest as the song ended, and, just as turned on as she, Gunner pushed his chest back against her hands, his gaze locked intensely on hers.

"Take me home, now."

Gunner growled low in his chest and, grabbing Kenzie's hand, pulled her off the dance floor. They detoured briefly to grab her jacket off their stools then bee lined to the exit. Lee caught sight of them and elbowed Barney, jerking his chin and smiling knowingly.

Barney chuckled and shook his head. "Christ, they're like fuckin' teenagers."

Lee laughed. "Hopefully they make it home first this time."

* * *

Kenzie sat behind Gunner on his chopper, her arms tight around his waist and, as they neared his cottage, let her hands drift lower, skimming briefly over the bulge in his jeans, feeling him jolt in response. As they pulled into the driveway, Kenzie leapt off the bike and rushed to the door, unlocking it just as Gunner pushed in behind her, slamming it shut behind them.

Kenzie turned to face Gunner and he slanted his mouth hard over hers, pressing her back against the wall. She clawed at his shirt, lifting it up and Gunner grabbed at it, yanking it over his head with a jerk, throwing it carelessly away. Reaching down and gripping Kenzie's upper thighs, Gunner lifted her legs up around his hips, pressing himself against her and smiling savagely against her mouth as she gasped. Gunner reached between Kenzie's legs, made a raw sound when he discovered she was commando tonight and fumbled roughly at his jeans, dizzy with desire. Kenzie reached up and untied her collar, exposing her bare breasts. With a groan, Gunner buried his head, his lips finding Kenzie's dragonfly birthmark, and Kenzie moaned low in her throat. Freeing himself, unable to hold back any longer, Gunner filled Kenzie with one thrust, burying himself to the hilt with a guttural groan. Kenzie gasped and arched against him, whimpering his name. Their lips crushing together with bruising force, Kenzie scratched at Gunner's back as his hands dug into her hips.

Thrusting fiercely, Gunner buried his face into Kenzie's neck, growling, teeth gritted. Fuck this felt good. Kenzie cried out, quaking around Gunner and driving him violently over the edge. Gunner came hard, roaring into Kenzie's hair, his entire body shuddering, slamming Kenzie's ass against the wall. Panting, Gunner pulled Kenzie's legs from around his hips and dropped her feet to the floor, leaning against her as he trembled. Kenzie breathed hard against Gunner's neck, a low moan escaping her.

"Fuck." Gunner managed, feeling simultaneously drained and wound up, wanting to both pull Kenzie into bed to wrap in his arms and snuggle with until he fell asleep or drag her to that same bed and pull her on top to straddle his stiffening cock, riding him until she came again, pulling him over the edge with her...

Kenzie pushed at his chest, smiling wickedly up at him as he stared intently down at her, his eyes darkening with lust again. She stepped away from the wall, keeping her eyes fixed on Gunner's as her dress slide to the floor. Gunner's eyes roved over Kenzie's body, his pulse quickening again and with a low growl, he pulled her towards the bedroom.


End file.
